In the high production of business forms, particularly folded forms which are then sealed and otherwise acted upon by processing equipment (such as a Moore pressure seal system available form Moore Business Forms, Lake Forest, Ill.), typically, the forms are printed, folded, and then collected so that they can be moved to other processing equipment and readily taken off from the other processing equipment. In the past several years this has been normally effectively accomplished utilizing tilting carts, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,061,233, 5,273,516, and 5,322,496. These carts allow ready transport of the fan-folded forms from the folding or like processing equipment, to other types of processing equipment. The carts are typically tiltable because it is easier when the forms are moved to the subsequent processing equipment to take the forms off of a vertical stack, particularly fan-folded forms. However, there are some drawbacks associated with tilting carts.
Depending upon the particular forms being processed, and how many forms are necessary to stack in order to effectively perform the necessary handling functions for the forms, the forms may be damaged or curled as a result of storage and compression on the tilt cart. Also, full carts of forms may be very heavy and unmanageable for an operator to successfully tilt, at least without damaging of the forms, which can slow down the entire forms processing system.
According to the present invention equipment is provided which eliminates the problems associated with tilting carts in the processing of business forms. According to the present invention a unique stacker and a unique cart are both provided, the stacker and cart cooperating to allow stacking of the forms in such a way that a vertical stack is immediately formed from a conveyor (e.g. associated with a folder, printer, or the like), the cart having a fixed angular orientation that allows proper stacking and takeoff of the forms, yet does not require tilting action by the operator. Thus, the forms may be readily manipulated and moved from one position to the other and then readily taken off the cart, without curling or other damage to the forms.
According to one aspect of the present invention a unique stacker is provided. The stacker comprises the following components: A housing including first and second generally vertical side walls, and a base, the side walls substantially parallel to each other and spaced in a first dimension. A plurality of forms-supporting tines parallel to and spaced from each other in the first dimension. The base including support portions which mount the side walls and tines so that the tines and/or side walls are inclined with respect to the vertical more than two degrees, tilted in a second dimension, substantially perpendicular to the first dimension. And an elevator mechanism for moving the forms-supporting tines together in a generally vertical dimension with respect to the side walls.
A cart sensor is typically mounted on or adjacent the base for sensing positioning of a cart in operative association with the forms supporting stacker tines and a latching mechanism is also preferably mounted adjacent the base for cooperating with a latch on a cart to latch a cart in place until released. A forms position sensor for sensing the position of stacked forms on the forms supporting tines is mounted on the side walls and control means are provided for effecting movement of the elevator mechanism with respect to the side walls, and thus movement of the forms supporting tines, in response to the forms position sensor.
The elevator mechanism may comprise a pair of endless chains each connected to an idler sprocket and a drive sprocket, a drive for rotating the drive sprockets, and a support arm for connecting the forms engaging tines to the chains and movement therewith. An indicator lamp may also be provided for indicating when a stack of forms of a predetermined size has been stacked on the forms supporting tines, the indicator lamp mounted adjacent the top of the side walls. The side walls and the forms supporting tines are typically inclined to the vertical about 15 degrees in the second dimension (e.g. about 5-25 degrees).
The invention also relates to a cart for transporting business forms. The cart comprises the following components: A base. A first forms-engaging face mounted to the base has a fixed angular position making an angle of about 5-25 degrees with respect to the vertical. A second forms-engaging face having a fixed angular position making the same angle with respect to the vertical as the first face, and also mounted to the cart base. Transport means on the base for facilitating rolling movement of the base. A first plurality of cart tines extending outwardly from the first face and parallel to and spaced from each other in a first dimension. A second plurality of cart tines extending outwardly from the second face and parallel to and spaced from each other in the first dimension. And the first and second faces mounted so that individual tines of the first and second pluralities of tines are substantially co-planar.
First and second latches are preferably mounted to or adjacent the base, the first latch extending outwardly from the first face generally perpendicular thereto and the second latch extending outwardly from the second face generally perpendicular thereto. Adjustment means are typically provided for adjusting the positions of the first and second plurality of tines with respect to the first and second faces, respectively, to individually vary the forms stacking capacity of the cart faces. For example, the tines may be made of sheet metal and connected by hooks in slots formed in the cart face, similar to conventional shelving connections. Typically a plurality of handles extends upwardly from the faces, facilitating movement of the cart.
The invention also relates to a stacker and cart assembly for substantially vertically stacking the forms. The assembly comprises: A stacker comprising: A housing including first and second generally vertical side walls, and a stacker base, the side walls substantially parallel to each other and spaced in a first dimension; a plurality of forms-supporting stacker tines parallel to and spaced from each other in the first dimension; and an elevator mechanism for moving the forms-supporting stacker tines together in a generally vertical dimension with respect to the side walls. And a cart comprising: A cart base; a forms-engaging face mounted to the cart base; transport means on the cart base for facilitating rolling movement of the cart base; and a plurality of cart tines extending outwardly from the face and parallel to and spaced from each other in the first dimension a spacing greater than the width of at least some of the stacker tines, so that when the cart is brought into operative position with the stacker the stacker and cart tines do not interfere with each other as the stacker tines are moved by the elevator mechanism relative to the cart tines.
A cart sensor mounted on or adjacent the stacker base precludes operation of the elevator mechanism unless the cart is in place with respect to the stacker. The cart and stacker are both preferably as described above in detail.
It is a primary object to provide an effective alternative to tilting carts in the handling of business forms. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from a detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.